Hermione & Draco:The Story That Changes Everything
by Ashley Dane
Summary: What if Hermione never went with Ron? What if she did something totally un-Hermione-like? What if Hermione fell in love with Draco Malfoy? What if Draco fell in love with her? Now that would be a good story...
1. Prologue

**Hermione and Draco: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. I do NOT own Harry Potter or these characters, J.K. has that shining honor**

**(though it's too bad she didn't put Hermione and Draco together) :)  
**

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In this story you'll see Hermione, who we all know is quite studious and regimented, start to go a little outside of her box. As her relationship with Draco grows she starts to live a little.

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**Prologue**

Up in the girl's dormitory Hermione sighed and opened another book. There were still four months left until N.E.W.T.'s and she _still _wasn't ready. She didn't care what everyone said or thought about her and her 'insane' studying. She expected more out of herself than any other student in the school. She knew that she could do better if she just worked harder, studied longer, and practiced more. And to be truthful, she liked to shove it in Harry and Ron's faces whenever she could. Wasn't she the one who got them through the Devils Snare that very first year? Wasn't she the one who figured out about the basilisk before everyone else? I didn't matter to her that she'd been petrified by it, at least she know. And she was the one who had the time turner that had helped save Buckbeak and Sirius. Hadn't she been the one to break him out? Those were the only times she got to prove that girls were just as good as boys.

It was always worth it in the end anyway. Ever since she'd gotten that very first letter from Hogwarts, it had been worth it.  
She reached over and picked up another advanced copy of Ancient Runes: the Fables and Telling of All. Flipping it open to a section she'd only read twice, she curled up on her bed to read.

Minutes later there was a barely audible _plunk _on her window. It wasn't until the noise repeated twice that she got up to investigate. She straightened her skirt and went to the window, peering out. The only thing she saw was white swirling and the snow covered roof below.  
"Must've been my imagination," she mumbled to her self and turned to go back to her bed.

_Plunk_.

She whirled around. And saw... nothing.

She narrowed her eyes and peered out once again. Winter was once again upon the castle and Hermione was already fed up with it.  
Normally she loved this time of year but... well; she couldn't explain why she wasn't in her normal cheery Christmas attitude. Something just wasn't right in her life.

But for now she figured it was probably because she hadn't studied as hard as she should have. If that wasn't really the case she'd find out soon enough. The odd emptiness inside of her didn't really bother her at the moment.

Once again after a careful study of everything outside she saw nothing. "I really must be going crazy. Maybe I should read for fun," she said to herself and went back to her bed to pick up a book of Shakespeare sonnets.

_Plunk_. _Plunk_. _Plunk_. _Plunk_.

This time she jumped up and threw open the window, only to be hit right in the face with a flying snowball.

Wiping snow off her face she stared fifteen feet down to the grinning face of Draco Malfoy. "You evil little worm!"

"Hello, Mudblood. Wanna have a go?"

"Not really. How's your nose?" Suddenly remembering he brought a hand up to it involuntarily. She'd broken his nose Third Year when he'd pissed her off.

"It's healed nicely," he replied with a sneer.

"Yeah, only because you ran whining to Madam Pomfry. She did a little magic and now it's as if nothing ever happened."

"But it did happen."

"Yeah, and you'd best remember it could happen again, you weasel." She leaned back in and closed the windows.

Back down on the roof Draco grinned to himself and turned to go back the way he came up. "I'll be seeing you again, Granger. Mark my words: I'll be seeing you again," he said softly, tugging his gloves back on.

He didn't really know why he'd come up her in the first place. He'd been heading to the Owlry to send his mother a message when his legs had carried him up to the roof. He'd come up her before, the very first year. But that had been when he'd tried to spy on Potter and his friends. He'd come up here often over the past years, for no reason at all really. At least, none that he could think of┘ Just as he couldn't think of why he'd thrown snowballs at Granger window in the first place.

Filthy mudblood, he thought with disgust. His father had taught him well on the likes of everything inferior.

And he'd done well in the learning and with every lesson he got better. Not that his father ever really noticed or gave any sign of affection, Draco thought bitterly. Then shook his head. Lucius was his father. He owed him. Owed him for giving him life in the first place, owed him for giving him wealth, owed him for letting him live all of these years. Draco owed him for just about everything.

Draco slid down the side of a steeper peak and eased his way over a ledge to place his foot carefully on a ledge that jutted out. Carefully, he climbed down the little ledges that were formed like latter rungs on the side of the wall.

When he came to the first window he checked to see if anyone was in and then slid cautiously inside the Owlry. Once inside he readjusted his scarf and cap. He was actually surprised that nobody had found the secret ladder up to the roof.

One day, that first year, when he'd been brooding he'd leaned out the window to let the wind blow across his face. It had made him feel free, if only for a moment. And that was when he'd noticed the ladder. He had never told anyone about it. He didn't want to. It was the one thing that he could keep to himself. Something that was his, and no one else's.

All his life he'd pretty much had to share, with his father, mother, friends. Never being allowed to really think for himself. Most everything he ever owned had been owned by someone else, he didn't care that they were antiques, or heirlooms. He wanted things that nobody had ever seen or touched before.

He took one last look of the distance, the snowy swirls and majestic views of the mountains and turned his back on them. They'd be there tomorrow, they always were.

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**NOTE FROM AUTHOR: **

**Hey guys, thanks for reading this. I've got quite a few more chapters already done that I need to tweak up a bit, but I want to know first how you like the story so far.**

**I'm sorry some of the chapters are so short, I'm kind of going event by event with each chapter. But no worries, though the chapters may be short there won't be few... there will be A LOT of them! Maybe forty or so, and I may write a sort of "book 2" so....... don't freak on me, I've already written a lot of chapters as it is, I want to know what you guys think first so REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!  
**

**And please no lame-o reviews that say simply: _nice going! _or****_ good job!_ or something short and boring. Talk to me a little, I want to know what you _really_think andplease give me suggestions if you have them. I'm always willing to listen, and if it's a great suggestion that I like, I might just use it.... hee hee :)  
**

**Ciao!**

**---- Ashley  
**


	2. Chapter 1: Conversations

**Hermione and Draco: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of these characters, J.K. does (if you didn't know that, you're crazy) :)**

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**Chapter One: Conversations**

"It seriously creeped me out to see him standing there," Hermione told Harry and Ron the next day over breakfast. "He was just standing there looking up on me with that sneer on his face." She shuddered.

"Oh, come off it, Hermione," Ron said between bites of Danish pastry, "He was probably just trying to get to you."

Harry nodded, "Yeah, he was probably messing with your head."

"Just forget about it. About him," Ron said and picked up some bacon as he munched on toast.

"But it's bugging me to death," she insisted.

"Forget it," Ron said once more, pausing to drink some pumpkin juice.

"Hey, Granger, sleep well?" came a voice from behind them.

All three turned to see Draco Malfoy and his friends grinning as they sat at the table behind Harry and Ron.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Ron said with a disgusted look.

Draco grinned, "Oh, nothing, really, I was just wondering how the little mudblood had slept, is all. You know with all that filth that surrounds her she must have a terrible time being comfortable. Yet again, being a mudblood, she must be comfortable with filth, especially when she hangs around Weasleys."

"Oh, shove off, Malfoy," Ron muttered turning away.

Draco merely grinned, "Sorry to make you embarrassed, Weasley, you probably have a fancy on the little mudblood anyway."

Hermione stood up, "Why don't you get a life!"

"I have one. It's considerably better than yours."

Hermione was the one to smirk this time, "Really? See, now I seem to recall not having to ever have my house searched for Dark artifacts, or my parents having anything to do with being arrested. But that's just me."

"What would you know of it?" Draco said going slightly pale as some faces across the hall turned to look at him.

"Oh, I know quite a lot."

"Just shut up, Granger!"

"You started it, Malfoy," she said sitting back down as he stalked off. "Jeez, he just gets to me," she said quietly to Harry and Ron.

"Well, that's most likely what he wants," Harry said, sipping on orange juice. "He wants it to bug you, so don't let it."

Ron merely nodded with his mouth full.

Hermione sighed and poked at her eggs. "Okay, I'll try."

"Great," Harry said going back to his breakfast.

"You know, I think Malfoy's a little off his game today," Ron commented with his mouth full.

"Ron!" Harry groaned.

"Well, he was!" Ron insisted, "That whole 'How'd you sleep last night, Granger?' wasn't some of his best stuff."

Hermione nodded, reluctantly agreeing.

"Look," Harry said to them both, "Let's not think of Malfoy anymore. Talk about something else, please."

"Okay, Harry," Hermione said picking up her fork, "No more ferret talk today."

"Thanks," Harry said and stood, "I'm off to see what Fred and George want. Later."

Ron hopped up, "Harry, wait for me!" He started to go after him but turned back and grabbed another Danish pastry. After he lifted his glass of juice he hurried off after him.

Hermione shook her head at them and finished off her milk before gathering up her books. As she left the hall out of the corner of her eye she saw Pansy Parkinson stroke Draco on the shoulder, as if comforting him.

Hermione's face went grim as she walked toward the stairs. Let Pansy comfort him all she wanted, Hermione thought, it wouldn't make any difference, he was still a miserable git.

She silently cursed herself when she realized the she'd forgotten her book bag; taking out her wand, she capably summoned one and shoved her books inside. She would have sent them to her room instead of carrying them the whole way, but she felt that it was better exercise for her to carry them herself. She didn't want to become a lazy witch.

She hefted the strap over her shoulder and strode up the steps. After a split second debate she took the quickest possible route to the Gryffindor tower. It was just as she turned to speak to the Fat Lady when she heard the smooth voice behind her.

"What are you doing, Granger?"

She spun around with a startled gasp, "Malfoy!"

Yeah, it's me," he said stepping out of the shadows, his platinum hair glinting in the candlelight and his gray eyes calm.

"Go Away."

"What? You can't hold your own without your snively little friends, Granger? And to think, I took you for one with a little more guts."

Hermione nearly sneered, "Wow, you thought. So you actually have a brain. I was about to ask you the same question. Rare to see you without your usual bodyguards. I'm actually surprised you had the balls to try and have a go at me alone," she smirked at his silence, "What? Cat got your tongue?"

"I'd expect such foul insult from your little mudblood tongue."

"Why, I'm shocked, really," Hermione feigned surprise.

"Shut up," Draco burst out, "You think you're so smart, so clever, but your not. You're just a wanna-be┘ a tagalong, a nobody. You've never done something big, not on your own. You never go outside the box, Granger, so you'll never go as far as you want to."

She silently sucked in a breath. "Oh? And how do you know what I want to do? You know nothing about me."

This time he smiled, showing his set of attractive white teeth, "I know you, Granger," he said slyly, then he straightened suddenly, "Keep your ugly, mudblood face out of my sight or you'll regret it."

Hermione merely sent him a look that spread disgust, "Why would I want to be near slime anyway, scavenger worm?"

She turned and walked through the doorway as the Fat Lady Painting swung aside leaving Draco to gape after her.

She counted herself lucky that the password that week was "scavenger worm" or else she had a feeling she would've had to stand there until he walked away. It would have been pointless for her to walk away past him. It would have been too much like running away from him. And she didn't like to run away from things. Doing that made her feel like a coward.

She hurried up the stairs to her dorm. She really had to get ready for the morning class. It started in an hour.

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**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:**

**Hi! Thanks for reading this... so I want to know what you think of chapter one... Did you like it? Do I have mistakes? And if you have a suggestion on how it could be better I'm all ears... **

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**

**I don't like to post more chapters unless there are at least, like, ten reviews...**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**

**--- Ashley**

**(don't forget I love you all so try not to put me down too hard, it kills my vibes)  
**


	3. Chapter 2: Mean Plans

**Hermione and Draco: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. I do NOT own Harry Potter or any of these characters, J.K. does (please don't sue me I' broke)** :)

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**Chapter Two: Mean Plans**

Draco Malfoy sat lounging on a red velvet chasse on one side of the Slytherin common room as two of his friends gathered at the other. They had both of their greasy heads bent together in a conspiratorial way that told Draco that they were up to something.

Not that he minded, those two could do whatever they wanted, as long as it didn't interfere with some of his plans.

"Hey, Malfoy," Crabbe called from across their common room where they were hanging around for the evening.

Draco looked up from his book. "What is it now?"

"We've got a good plan to get Granger back," Goyle said picking at his nose. "It'll be funny."

Draco sighed and went back to his reading, "I doubt it."

"Awww, come on, Malfoy," Crabbe said, "it's really funny and it's perfect."

"Yeah, we're gonna mess up that nappy little head of her even more," Goyle insisted.

This got Draco's attention; he marked his page and closed the book slowly, watching them carefully. "You're gonna ruin her hair?"

"Yeah." They both said with grins.

"I've got to hear this," he said, tossing down the book down to go stand behind them as they sat on the couch. They'd actually put it down in writing, which was rare for the both of them because they detested even such a mediocre chore.

He peered down at the sloppy letters, taking a moment to decipher their dreadful penmanship, and grinned.

Step One: Make stupid potion

Step Two: Set up sling shot

Step three: get Granger to walk by

Step four: hit her hair with potion goop

Step Five: get ride of evidence quickly

Step six: say incantation

Step seven: laugh and gloat (for a long time??)

Draco looked at the both of them with that wicked smile of his, "So what exactly does this potion do to Granger's hair?"

"It's funny," Goyle said, tapping the quill on the parchment. He didn't realize that wasn't the explanation Draco was looking for.

Crabbe helped him out a little, "Yeah, it makes her hair change colors," Crabbe said, "The first time we set it to the color we want and each time she tries to fix it it'll change another color. The only way to reverse it is to use Foxtail Palm leaves and Snape doesn't have any of that in his stores as far as we know."

"It'll take her forever to get it out," Goyle added with laugh breaking the quill he held in half.

"Yeah," said Crabbe picking up his sweatshirt from the couch, "that the best part."

"I'm impressed," Draco said leaning on his forearms, "You two actually came up with something worth doing." They smiled under the praise. "But did you check to see if any of the other teachers had the plant?"

"Ummm...." Silence.

"Exactly what I thought. Check that and if they do, take it. Then we'll make Granger's hair a... rainbow," Draco said with a grin, ignoring the weird feeling at the back of his mind.

It was a nagging he didn't understand, and he didn't want to.

As Crabbe and Goyle hurried off to check and raid the other teacher's supplies he plopped back down on the chasse across the room and went back to reading Shakespeare sonnets. They'd be at it for a while.

Four days later, after the last classes, Goyle set up the sling shot near where he'd learned Hermione Granger passed by on her way to dinner every evening, as Draco had instructed.

He set it all up, exactly the way he'd been shown, and hunkered down to await the signal. It only took a moment because when he turned his head, he saw the signal from Crabbe meaning the she was coming.

He pulled back on the band and placed the potion in the correct spot, he had a feeling that this was going to be great. Draco stood nearby, wanting to get a good look at all the action. He took perch on a staircase off to the right so he could get a good view of Granger's face when she got hit. When her bushy head was in range Goyle aimed at her and then released the sling. The potion went flying through the air, narrowly missing Parvati Pital's face and splatted in Hermione's hair.

She shrieked and dropped her books. Harry whirled around and caught sight of Hermione trying to pull the glob out but she was only making it worse. He pulled her away back toward their common room, Draco's last glimpse of her face made him laugh to himself all the way to dinner.

Bastard, Hermione thought to herself as she once again rinsed her hair, whoever had done this to her was a big evil bastard.  
After Harry had pulled her away from all the ciaos he'd pushed her into the girl's bathroom and told her to clean herself up.

She looked into the mirror and grimaced. Her hair was the unappealing shade of neon green and a little goopy still from that dreadful smelling potion. She hoped she got all of the bobby pins out, though. She didn't want to lie down at night to be unexpectedly stabbed in the back of the head. That had happened the night of the Yule Ball, and she still hadn't forgiven Ron for ruining that night for her. If he'd been jealous he should've been a man and said so. She'd been having a great time with Viktor and Ron had been a prat and screwed it up, as usual.

She walked into the next room, locking the door behind her, and turned on the taps for a bath. After the tub had filled at least half way she began to take off her clothes. After a momentary hesitation she finally tossed her top away toward the trash with disgust. That potion had stained the sweater from red to blotchy blue.

She gently lowered herself in and sat back for a moment. She would be missing dinner right now, but she didn't care.  
Then she dunked herself and began scrubbing.

Fifteen minutes later she pulled herself out of the bath. Her hair wasn't going to get much cleaner. She conjured up another outfit, a dark blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Walking over to the mirrors she picked up her comb and tried to smooth the tangles. She tossed the comb across the room, suddenly pissed a moment later. It was no use. Her hair was utterly ruined.

She slumped against the stone wall and let the tears fall silently down her face. It wasn't that she'd been particularly fond of her hair in the first place, the bushy mass it had been, but now it was simply ghastly.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, then took three deep, soothing breaths.

"Calm down, Hermione. You're smart, you'll figure it out. And then the person or persons involved will pay. Just stay calm and... stop talking to yourself," she added, abruptly opening her eyes.

She jumped up and pulled out her wand, instantly inspired. With a flick her hair turned... bright pink.

"Oh, that's not right," she groaned.

She tried again, it went dark blue. The next time it went red.

"Oh, nasty. A Weasley I am not and never will be."

This time it was dandelion yellow.

"I am so not a blonde."

She finally gave up when it went black.

"Screw it. At least it's a more normal color." She rinsed her hair one more time and brushed it again, finally deciding that she'd gotten all of the gunk out of her hair. She put on her robes and picked up her bag.

When she got into the Gryffindor common room she went up the stairs to her dorm. After tossing her bag against the wall she plopped down on her bed. Staring at the ceiling she fiddled with her wand. Maybe she should just get over it. She would fix her hair sooner or later... and who said she had to go back to the same old Hermione look?

Swiftly, she sat upright. She'd just gotten a brilliant idea...

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**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:**

**Thanks for reading! Sorry if you think it's too short... I'll post another chapter soon I promise... as long as you promise to review. It takes, like, ten seconds, so please review!**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**

**I really want to know what you think and so far I've only gotten one review but a lot of people have favorited it so tell me why you like it, please, I'm begging you... :)**

**REVIEW!**

**--- Ashley**

**Personal thanks to aquacherries for being my first and only reviewer :)  
**


	4. Chapter 3: Fixed

**Hermione and Draco: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. I dont own HP, JK does**

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**Chapter Three: Fixed**

It had taken her a whole day but she'd finally tracked down the potion that had been thrown at her. She'd also had to sneek out of the dormitory early in the morning so nobody would see her and her black hair. She was slightly miffed that doing this research had taken up all her time for studying, it was the weekend and that was what weekends were for wasn't it? A time for students to catch up on their studying. Now she only had Sunday to do everything...

She sighed as she scanned the page for an antidote.

"Infusion of wormwood, sunflower seeds, drops of lake water, and foxtail palm tree leaves..." she murmured to herself, writing it all down on a scroll of parchment. "I think Snape has everything but the foxtail... Hmmm..." she wondered who would have it.

"Oh, of course!" she said jumping up. "Hagrid would have some..." she knew it had been used to help the burns students had gotten from the blast-ended shrewts.

She grabbed her bag and the list and raced out of the library. She raced around the corner and smack into Ron, Harry, Fred and George.

"Hermione!" George laughed suddenly, "What the hell happened to your hair?"

She blushed slightly, "Nothing."

"Wanna bet? It's gone midnight," Fred insisted.

"It's gone Goth is what it is," George countered.

"Nah, the midnight sounded better," Harry disagreed.

Ron nodded his head in agreement.

"So Hermione what's with the new look?" Ron asked.

"I told you, blockhead," Harry said punching his shoulder, "Hermione's hair got hit with some funky stuff yesterday."

"Oh, yeah."

"And now if you'll excuse me," Hermione interrupted them all, "I've got to go see Hagrid about helping me get it changed back." With that she stalked off towards the nearest exit.

It took her the rest of the day but she finally got all of the ingredients and the antidote brewed in the girl's bathroom. Thankfully Moaning Myrtle was nowhere to be found.

"Here goes nothing," she said as she lifted a vile of orangey looking liquid. She splashed her hair and said the incantation. Her hair instantly returned to normal. She sighed with relief at her old bushy reflection in the mirror.

"And now for some changes." She lifted her wand once more and did a spell. Her hair went immediately straight.

She smiled. Then did another spell her hair was immediately dyed different colors of browns. It was attractively streaky.

Then she tried for one last thing. She waved her wand. Then her hair was suddenly shortened and layered so that it formed her face beautifully.

"Wow," she murmured to herself, "I'm actually pretty."

Giddy now she cleaned up the mess with a flick of her wand and rushed out of the bathroom, making a beeline for Gryffindor tower. She needed to change into something more attractive. For once she was going to show herself off. She had the right to be a little vain after all the years of being bushy, bookworm Granger, didn't she?

*************

Hermione grinned when she saw Ron's face a few hours later as she walked down from her dorm.

"What the bloody hell did you do?"

"Really, Ronald," Hermione said, walking past him out the porthole into the corridor, "I just fiddled with it, nothing major. You can close your mouth now; I believe your jaw is open." She walked away only to run into Harry as he made his way to dinner.

"Oh. Hey, Hermione, did you finish that, um, assignment on the differences of..." his eyes went wide, "Hermione, what happened to you?"

She laughed and pushed past him. "Harry, I just changed my hair."

"Yeah, but... you look..." he was nearly at a loss for words, "You look fantastic. Dazzling, really." He walked with her.

She grinned slightly, she had a little vanity, and after all she was only human. "I know and I love it." She flipped her new do.

"Wow, Hermione what did you do to your hair?" Lavender asked. Hermione didn't miss the quick flash of envy in her eyes.

"Oh, nothing much, Lavender. I just cut it short, straightened it. Played with the color a little."

"Hermione! You now have a cap of luxurious brown streaky hair that curves to your face beautifully," Ginny commented coming up to walk with them. "Your hazel eyes are simply glowing and the touch of makeup accents everything subtly and effectively. Good job. I love your new look!"

"Thanks, Gin," Hermione said with a grin.

"That look is casual and simply stunning on you, Hermione," Parvati added as she walked past.

"Thanks," Hermione called after her, blushing slightly. As they turned the corner and descended the main stars, Malfoy was there at the bottom. What she didn't know was that he'd been waiting there to get in a good laugh.

She also didn't see his eyes widen or hear his intake of breath, but Harry saw him and noted the reaction, filing it away in his head for later thought.

Hermione laughed at something Luna said. She'd come to join them on their way to the Great Hall.

As he stood at the bottom of the stairs, Draco felt his mouth go dry. She looked... spectacular. Like a fairy tale. Not at all what he had been expecting. Not that he was complaining. A Malfoy never refused to glance upon beauty, even if she was a mudblood.

And this mudblood looked like a pixie. He had a feeling that he was in for trouble, whether he liked it or not. Especially with Potter giving him the studied look. He'd probably figured it out, the idiot.

*************

At the Gryffindor table Hermione got many more compliments, some of which making Ron flustered. "Really, Hermione, I don't see why you had to change it. It looked fine the way it as the first time," Ron insisted for the fifth time between bites of jellied donuts.

Hermione ignored him and turned toward Harry. "You wanted to say something earlier?"

"Oh. Yeah." He leaned closer toward her, "I think Malfoy's the one who messed with your hair Hermione. He's the only one I can think of right now and the way he was waiting at the bottom of the stairs was odd. You should've seen the shock on his face when he got a load of you. It was worth it though; the evil git deserves a little punch now and then."

Ron had missed their conversation, blissfully ignorant.

He carried on his earlier statement, "Besides," slurp of pumpkin juice, picking up a fork, "I think this new look of yours makes you look... I don't know, like... fickle or is it whimsical? One of those, maybe both... Anyways it's not you..." He bit into his steak, not noticing Hermione's face turning slightly pink.

"Well, Ronald, I like it just fine. In fact, I like it better this way, so bug off!" She stood, picked up her cashmere sweater, and then swept out of the hall.

Harry turned to Ron, "Need some more help shoving your other foot into your mouth?"

Ron merely shrugged; he didn't know what he'd said that had offended her.

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**NOTE FROM THE AUTOR**

**Oh, poor Ronald being a lamebrain arse as usual... but its really not his fault thats just the way he is, he cant really help it can he?**

**PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!**

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**---- Ashley  
**


	5. Chapter 4: The Fight

**Hermione and Draco: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. I don't own HP or characters. JK does, the lucky woman**

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**Chapter Four: The Fight**

"Oh, where are you Malfoy, you evil little ferret?" Hermione muttered walking down the seventh floor corridor scanning for him. She was wearing a green turtleneck sweater and black slacks under her robes which she had open down the front. She'd started to feel a little hot as she'd searched the castle. Maybe she should've asked Harry to take a look at that stupid Marauder's Map of his. She really wanted to get Malfoy back for what he did, if he was the one who'd got her in the first place.  
"Looking for me?"

She whirled around and there he was tall, charming and platinum blond in black robes with silver and green Slytherin trimmings. He was studying his nails as a he leaned against a torch topped column a few yards behind her down the corridor. She'd just been past there, blast him!

"Oh, yeah," Hermione said taking a step toward him, her hand gripping her wand under her robes, "I was looking for you. Are you the one who threw that goop at me earlier?" she demanded.

He continued to study his manicure, a slight smile barely forming on his firm lips. "You really should be thanking me, Granger. You seem to look better now. Slightly above scum of the Earth, I believe," his smile bloomed a little wider, "Really, above earthworms I suppose..."

She whipped out her wand to his throat, "Why you disgusting---!" she was cut short.

"Uh, uh, not so fast now," he murmured, his gray eyes steady on hers as he tapped the wand against her ribcage, he'd pulled out so quickly she hadn't noticed, "Wand down, Granger."

When she made no move, to or from, he sighed, "I really like my face the way it is."

"You're faster than last time," she murmured, looking into the endless foggy gray.

His expression never changed, "Yeah, well, I learned my lesson when you broke my bloody nose third year."

"You deserved it," she said, biting her bottom lip. The memory always made her feel giddy.

"Maybe."

"Oh, that's bull. You did and you know it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"Calm down, mudblood, you're not going to get at my face again. Wands away?" he asked sincerely.

She nodded and, slowly, they both lowered their wands, watching each other carefully, as they placed them back in their robes.

"So, Granger, what was it you---" She punched him in the gut, then backhanded his face halfheartedly.

He wiped the blood from his mouth deftly without much expression. "I'll let you get away with that. Let's say it's a free one I might deserve or have deserved. But don't do it again, Granger," his voice went deadly low with warning chilling several degrees, his eyes were cool gray.

She felt a tingle inside her. It was fear and... desire. She was so shocked at that revelation that she didn't notice him skim a glace up her body then look away. She also didn't notice his eyes darken with something else that had little to do with anger.

"What do you want?" he finally asked.

She nearly sneered at him, "Well I want to shove you off the nearest tower, but since that probably wont work I'll just tell you this: Mess with me ever again Malfoy and you'll find out how it feels to have odd things growing in odd places all over your body. So back off,"she said vehemently, turning to leave.

"Granger..." She whirled around, "Look, don't mess with me. What you did to my hair was low. Childish, actually. But then again, it's you, so that's expected. Grow up, Malfoy, and leave me alone," she said, ignoring everything at the moment but her anger.

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**QUICK NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:  
**

**Oooooh, whats Draco going to do now...?**

**Sorry it's so short, but quick! Turn to the next chapter! It's going to get hot and sticky...**

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 5: Surprises

**Hermione and Draco: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. I do NOT own HP or character or anything else for that matter, I'm broke :) **

** Cheers to J.K. who's, like, rich or something isn't she? :)**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

**Chapter Five: Surprises **

"Make me, Granger." He grabbed her and, pushing her against the wall, covered her mouth with his. All her initial protest slid away as she went soft, her hand slid up his back to fist in his hair. He held her other hand against the wall, gripping her wrist. Later she would realize that it had been her wand hand, and that it'd been smart of him to do so, but for now she couldn't think at all.

She pulled him to her, needing to be nearer. She'd never been kissed like this before. She liked it... a lot.

She could feel the hard lines of his rangy thin body pressed intimately against hers. She gasped when he bit her bottom lip, and he slipped his tongue in to battle with hers. After a moment he shifted even closer. His free hand went to grip her waist as he used his body to press hers against the wall, while the hand that gripped her wrist slid down her arm to cup her breast.

She moane...

"Well looksie here!"

They jumped apart, chest heaving.

Peeves floated on above their heads. "It's the purest blood boysie and a muggle born girlsie making out on the seventh floorsie," he giggled, "Oh, oh, naughty, naughty children. What would everyone say? What would everyone say if they only knewsie?" he queried with another giggle.

"Peeves, I swear..." Draco began, stepping forward.

"Whaaaat? You swear whaaaat? Whatcha gonna do, Malfoy? You gonna keep me from telling everyone all day every day?"

"Why you..."

"Peeves," Hermione said quietly, "No."

"The muggle born thinks she's in charge of Peevsie?" he started to laugh to himself until Hermione raised her wand.

He backed off immediately. "Peeves says nothing, Peeves knows nothing," he began chanting, floating away rather quickly in the opposite direction.

Draco turned to Hermione with a frown, "How'd you do that?"

She waved him off, "Don't talk to me." She shoved her wand back into her robes and made to turn away.

His hand flashed out and grabbed her arm, she looked at him.

"I like your hair, Granger. The pixie look is cute on you," he said, then walked away, leaving her more confused than ever.

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**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:**

**Soooo what do you think is going to happen next? :)**

**I'm so sorry it's so short... but it was good wasn't it? I really didn't want to add more because everything I thought to add messed with the flow and mood. I'm going to post more once you guys REVIEW!**

**Oh and before I forget...**

**Baby Peach, I love you! (not in that way) :) You wrote so much in your review it made me so happy! :)**

**And Aquacherries I won't forget my very first review :)**

**All the luck to you both!**

**And all you other people... REVIEW!**

** It's not that hard, you click the button, type a few words, then click another button and bam! I finally have a review.  
**

**---- Ashley  
**


	7. Chapter 6: Why?

**Hermione and Draco: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. I don't own HP or any of these characters because JK does, the lucky woman  
**

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**Chapter Six: Why?**

Hermione sat on the floor of her dorm room and stared at the floorboards as she leaned against her bed. It was nearly midnight and she couldn't sleep.

_Why_? She wondered again for the five billionth time that week. _Why did he kiss me?_

She let out a little groan.

"I'm going crazy," she said quietly to herself. "Stupid, Malfoy," she said, leaning her head back to stare at the ceiling now, "Stupid kiss, stupid, stupid, stupid..." She was glad nobody could see her right now.

Unlike the boys who all had to share the same room in their tower, the girls all had separate rooms. Hermione had figured that it was because girls liked their privacy and that they tended to get into more fights with each other, especially about personal possessions and boys.

She tossed a pillow across the room and stood up. Moonlight shone from the window, making patterns across the floor where she'd sat.  
"Stupid boys," she added to herself as an afterthought, then tugged her silky pajamas straight. "Not going to let it get to me. There is no way I will let Malfoy get to me, get in my head. But oh, he would like that wouldn't he?" she began to mutter darkly as she shoved her coverlet back onto her bed, "Oh, he'd just love to know that it's eating me up inside. The damn macho jerk. Freaking jerk for being such a good kisser."

She stomped across the room to pick up the pillow she'd thrown and straighten the plant she'd knocked over with it. "The Pureblood Jerk. Yeah... stupid pureblood who's always going around 'Look at me, I'm better than you cause my family is a bunch of inbreds!' The git. The slimy evil little ferret," she said crossly as she sat back down on her bed. "Oh, he'll get no satisfaction whatsoever of knowing how much he made me _feel_. No he will not," she stated, finally lying back down to try and sleep once more.

But as she drifted off she groaned once more, "Oh, I wish he hadn't been such a good kisser." And she fell asleep to dream of that kiss all over again.

*****************

The next morning Draco wasn't having much luck forgetting it either. He'd had a very disturbing dream that night.

"Stupid mudblood," he muttered to himself as he sat on his bed staring at the stone wall. "Stupid, attractive mudblood." He suddenly threw his wand across the room where it hit the wall showering red sparks. "Get out of my head!" he yelled standing up.

There was a knock at his door, "Hey, Malfoy, you okay?"

He closed his eyes and counted to ten, "Yeah, Blaise, I'm good."

"You sure? It sounded pretty bad."

"Shut up and go away!" this time he threw a paperweight from his desk at the door. Nobody else knocked and they wouldn't for a long while if they knew what was good for them.

"Ugh," he said shoving both hands through his hair, "What's wrong with me? Why can't I stop thinking about..." he really didn't want to say it out loud... "Hermione Granger," he whispered, then got angry once again.

For another six minutes or so, he had quite a rage, throwing things and shouting unintelligibly. Nobody outside of his room could figure out what was wrong with the young Malfoy, so they quite quickly left him alone to get it out of his system.

After his room had erupted into silence they figured he might come back out. But he didn't.

Malfoy sat in his room silently. He sat very still on the hard stone floor, making no noise at all; he could only hear the beating of his own heart and his own breathing.

So he sat on that floor for a very long time, his knees bent up and his arms resting upon them as he thought about his life in silence.  
He knew that he'd never felt quite this way before about anyone. He cared about his parents, yes. But it wasn't the same. Not nearly the same.  
He couldn't explain it. Not really, he was busy trying to explain it to himself first.

Why did _he_, a pureblood of an ancient pureblood family, suddenly have a… feeling… for _her_, a muggle born witch of… muggles.

It just wasn't right. It wasn't.... _natural_. What he was feeling shouldn't exist in his world. It shouldn't feel so... right.

He sat there for another hour, wondering what had become of his life and what he could do about it.

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**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:**

**I'm sorry the chapters are so short, but as I think I explained before, there are going to be A LOT of them...**

**To those who actually care... thanks for the reviews.**

**And to those who either dont speak english or know how to press a button... REVIEW!**

**Please Review, it drives me crazy when you don't!**

**Maybe some of you like to see me suffer...**

**Anyways, what do you think Draco's going to do??????**

**--- Ashley  
**


	8. Chapter 7: Silence

**Hermione and Draco: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. Me no own Harry Potter, me no own characters, JK own all**

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**Chapter Seven: Silence**

"Hey, Hermione," Harry called across the Great Hall the next morning causing sever heads to turn.

She inwardly groaned, she hadn't really wanted anyone to look at her this morning. She felt... awkward to say the least. Though Peeves had kept his word _and _his mouth shut.

She still couldn't bring herself to even glance toward the Slytherin table because she might see him. She sat down in front of Harry and Ron.  
It had been a week and a day since her kiss with Malfoy. She knew as she'd been counting the hours. Every waking moment there was something to remind her of him. A word, a sound, a smell. Everything led her thoughts back to Draco Malfoy. And she didn't think that was right.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that _she_, Hermione Granger, muggleborn witch and self proclaimed bookworm, had to have feelings toward _him_, Draco Malfoy, Slytherin badass and complete jerk.

She really had to do something about the way her thoughts were leading. Yesterday she'd caught herself as she'd started to daydream in Transfiguration class about Draco's lips on hers... and even now she began referring to him as Draco in her head instead of Malfoy.

She was driving herself crazy!

"Uh, Hermione," Harry said waving his hand in front of her face, "Weren't you listening to me?"

"Oh, no, Harry, I'm sorry," Hermione moaned, snapping back to the present. Ron and Harry were watching her carefully, looking at her as if she'd contracted a disease or something. "It's just that I've been so sidetracked lately and I've been having these... problems and..."

"Say no more," Ron insisted suddenly, putting up a hand as if to ward off something, "I get it completely."

"You do?" she frowned.

"Yeah. You've got the... _girl problems_. We get it. It happens every month, no biggie."

Then she realized what he'd begun to think. She opened her mouth to correct him but then suddenly shut it. Better they think she'd been having cramps and such than her real problems. They'd freak if they knew...

"Yeah, uh, sorry guys."

"It's all good, Hermione," Harry insisted, taking a bite from his bagel, "But back to what I was trying to explain to you..." He went off on a long explanation of why he shouldn't have to write that essay Snape had set as punishment for talking in class.

She saw Draco across the room. Pansy was cozied up to him, whispering something into his ear that made him grin and nod.

For some reason it angered her.

Finally, she said, "Just write the damn thing, Harry." She stood and stormed out, frustrated and annoyed.

Harry looked over at Ron for explanation.

Ron shrugged and went back to his breakfast, "Girl problems, most likely."

*********************

For the past week, and the next, whenever Malfoy passed them in the halls he uttered no insults and said not a word, avoid any of their gazes, particularly Hermione's.

Ron and Harry hadn't really noticed that first week but when it went on to the second they began to pick up on it a bit.

"Did you see the way he went to keep extra far away from us?" Ron asked a few days later as they studied in the library.

"Yeah, he went the long way around just to not pass us," Harry said shaking his head, "Maybe he's gone bonkers. Finally."

"Nah, he's got a good reason," Ron figured, doodling on his parchment that was supposed to be a five thousand word essay on why ghosts haunt things and/or people.

"You think?" Harry asked, shutting his Charms book.

"Yeah, you know Malfoy. He doesn't do anything without a reason."

That made Hermione frown, but they didn't notice.

"But what could it be?" Harry wondered, partially to himself.

Ron shrugged, "I dunno. But there is one, especially by the way he keeps giving Hermione those glances behind her back. I really cant figure what he's thinking when he does though, he sort of keeps a straight face as he stares at her."

"Wait," Hermione interrupted suddenly, "Malfoy stares at me?"

Ron and Harry looked at Hermione, slightly surprised, remembering that she'd been there the whole time.

"Oh, uh, yeah, he does," Ron muttered, scratching his head.

"It's kind of creepy," Harry added, "We thought you knew..."

"Well I didn't," Hermione said, impatiently. "You really have to tell me these things, you guys, I don't have eyes in the back of my head!" she snapped her book shut, then pulled out a quill and parchment scroll.

"Well, I could have sworn you did when you slapped me this morning for making faces at you when you lectured us about magical creatures," Ron muttered darkly.

"Oh, come off it," Harry said to Ron, "You're just mad because she was right."

"Unicorns _do too _have greens eyes!" Ron insisted, shoving Harry in the shoulder, "I've seen one with my own two eyes."

"Then maybe you're the one who needs glasses," Harry said, shoving back at him.

Hermione snapped her fingers and they stopped to look at her. "Guys, we are in the library. Do you want her to come over here and curse at us then throw us out?" she asked, "because if she does I'll be very angry."

They both quick settled down to their studies and left Hermione alone to her thoughts.

So Draco was actually looking at her. That was a small relief, she didn't know why, but it was.

Maybe it was because she had these growing feeling toward him and she currently knew he was avoiding her purposely. That hurt a little, but the truth was that she was avoiding him as well.

They both existed together in relative silence and even that was taking its toll.

How long would it be before one of them finally... snapped?

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**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:**

**So when do you think one of them will break loose????**

**Wait and see...**

**I'll post the next chapter... _if_ I get some more REVIEWS!**

**Sorry, I'm a bit cranky...  
**

**--- Ashley**


	9. Chapter 8: Feelings

**BEFORE YOU READ... A Message from the Author:**

I would like to say that I'm so sorry it's taken so long for me to post more. It's been a hectic few weeks for me. I have been doing things for school and I've just finished my end of term exams, "whew!" And these past four day's I've experienced the most horrifying moments of writers block... (some of you who write probably know exactly what I'm talking about) Anyways, I've added quite a few chapters to make up for it, so please no hate reviews... :)

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**Hermione and Draco: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. I no own HP... JK own HP... Get it, yet?**

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**Chapter Eight: Feelings**

She'd finally figured it out.

Well... maybe only slightly figured it out... She'd spent the whole morning of her day off analyzing her feelings. And, well, she hadn't really come up with much of anything she didn't already know.

But now she wasn't going to deny her feelings any longer. She knew that she had to admit them to herself sooner or later. And Hermione Granger usually opted for the sooner.

She had feelings for Draco Malfoy.

But she also had feelings for Ron, and she knew that he did have some for her. He seemed... shy about it, bashful even.

Some of his affection toward her had shown through occasionally during the war. He'd been oddly attentive whenever she'd gotten even the slightest bit hurt. It had been a little annoying to tell the truth. She could take care of herself. And even now, she still didn't really forgive him for getting all mad and letting Harry and herself go off alone in the beginning. And even if he had helped Harry get the damn sword out of the pond and apologized for being a jerk... it still aggravated her a bit.

But the fact was, he liked her a lot and she didn't know what to do about it. She didn't even know if she wanted to do something about it.  
And then there were her feelings for Draco...

"Oh, I'm so confused," she said, slapping a hand to her forehead as she sat cross legged on her bed. "What should I do?" Then it hit her. It was a perfect, as most of her ideas were.

"It's just the thing," she said, smiling to herself and her own newfound brilliance. She leaned over and reached down to her bag on the floor to pull out a clean scroll and a brand-new self-inking quill.

She would make a list; after all, that's what she did best.

************

Draco Malfoy also sat on his bed that morning, wondering about what he felt and how it mattered. He'd never really sat and considered his own feelings before. And he was a little surprised once he finally searched his own heart.

"Oh, damn," he murmured, flopping on his back to stare at the ceiling, "I like her. I really like her." He sat there for another moment, then he decided that if he really felt the way he did, he had to declare it, out loud, before he gave in and buried his feelings once again as he had done so many times in the past.

"I like Hermione Granger. Damn it."

And there it was: he liked her... a lot.

Now what was he going to do?

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**_(ANOTHER)_ NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:**  
Now what am I going to do?  
Oh yeah, write!  
i luv 2 write!  
Sorry again about not posting for so long... But I'm back! As you probably know, I have just posted FIVE chapters instead of my usual two to make up for the time I missed. I know one is very short but another is pretty long so no complaints.  
Complaints about length really bug me and throw me off my buzz.  
I really hop to keep you all entertained and guessing.  
If you have any suggestions about Hermione and Draco's relationship, I'm all ears.  
Please will you review, it makes me feel more motivated and happier because I mostly aim to please.  
Check out what happens next.  
--- Ashley Dane, "I'm back!".


	10. Chapter 9: The List

**Hermione and Draco: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. JK owns it all, as for me, well I own next to nothing :)  
**

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Oh, and just a little **FYI:** Harry and Ginny _never _got together either... I'll say sorry to those who like them together, but I just couldn't do it :)

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**Chapter Nine: The List**

Hermione sighed as she absently scratched an itch on her thigh. She'd been writing for a long time. At least and hour and a half or so... She knew she missed breakfast... and lunch. Now there was no way she could miss dinner. Otherwise her stomach would punish her later.

She was glad that she'd done all her homework yesterday, because tomorrow was Monday and time for classes once again. But for now she considered herself done with everything, including her new list.

Being the organized, practical person that she was she'd written a Pros and Cons list with scoring for Draco and Ron to help her decide who was better for her.

And thinks weren't looking well for Draco; he had a score of -5 with Ron leading at 52.

She sighed and wrote her conclusion at the bottom for future reference of her thoughts, then tucked it away in her book bag. Maybe she'd go see what Ginny was doing...

**. . . . . .**

She went down to the common room to find Ginny still in her pajamas, like herself, sitting at a chess table in the corner. She was fiddling with the pieces by herself.

"Hey, Gin," Hermione plopped down on the seat across from her.

"Oh, hey, Hermione," Ginny sighed, knocking over a chess pawn.

Hermione frowned, "What's the matter, Ginny?"

"Oh, nothing, really," Ginny said with a small smile. When Hermione merely stared at her she sighed once again. "It's just that I've come to realize that Harry and I aren't going to get together. Ever. I knew that from the very beginning, but.." she shrugged, "I guess after all these years, and even during the war, there had been this tiny hope inside of me that maybe, just maybe, it would happen. But now that feeling is... gone. It's a little depressing..."

"You're just not right for each other," Hermione said kindly.

Ginny nodded and pushed chess pieces around the board, "Yeah, I know. I'm single and, oddly enough, that's okay with me... for now."

"Good for you. As long as it's what you want and you're happy" Hermione said with a small smile.

"So did you want to talk to me about something?"

"Oh, yeah. Well, I think I've had it with being single year after year after year."

"What about Krum?"

"Oh, Viktor?" Hermione smiled, ⌠At first he wanted more, but we came to realize that we're better off as friends. And we really only kissed, like... twice." Though Viktor's kisses had been nice, Hermione remembered, she hadn't ever felt anything that moved her. Unlike Draco's kisses, she thought, Draco's kisses were deep and potent, as if he'd touched her very soul.

"Too bad," Ginny said with a small, mischievous grin, "He was pretty cute."

"Yeah," she sighed then shook her head. "Anyways," she reached into her bag and pulled out the list. "What do you think?" she asked, handing it to Ginny.

Ginny scanned the list once then brought her eyes up to meet Hermione's gaze. "Are you serious?"

Hermione nodded.

"Wow, my brother and... Draco Malfoy. You've got a lot on your plate, Hermione."

"I know," Hermione mumbled.

"Well," Ginny said, taking a moment to get over the slight shock. "First, I have to say that I, personally, think my brother is a ferocious git that doesn't deserve you... But, hey," she shrugged her shoulders, "I'm not the one who'll be dating him and..." she tapped the list, "I also have to add that you've forgot a few bad factors with Malfoy. Five of them, actually." She reached for Hermione's quill, "Number one, he's in Slytherin. That should be an automatic minus three points. And two, he's got a girlfriend, Pansy. Minus five points, again. Then three, he's rich and that's intimidating, so that another minus five points. Four, he's shallow, so minus five points. Then lastly, number five... Voldemort... Minus ten points."

Hermione nodded her head. She couldn't argue as Ginny had good reasons she hadn't even thought of herself. She took the list back and glanced at the total, then winced slightly. "Got any good pointers for Malfoy? Because he's taking a hard hit there."

Ginny shook her head with an apologetic smile, "You've already got whatever I could think of and more."

Hermione grimaced. "Then the final total is... Oh jeez, Ron at fifty-two and Draco at... negative thirty-three. Ouch."

"Hey, don't look at me, you're the one who made the list," Ginny said, slightly defensive. "And if you're going to go by some stupid list and not your heart then you're going to pick my brother."

"Ginny, organization and practicality are part of who I am. They help me think."

"Well, that's your way. Personally, I think with my heart. But maybe that's why I haven't found the right guy, or maybe I've yet to meet him... Good luck," she added, rising from her seat to pat Hermione on the back, "You'll need it with that blockhead. Now I'm off to..."

"Wait, Ginny"

Ginny turned back to look at her, eyes questioning. "What is it"

Hermione bit her lip, then let out a breath. "Why arent you shocked, or angry"

"Why would it be"

"Because it's Malfoy"

After hesitating only for a moment, Ginny smiled slowly. "Hermione, I want to explain something to you but I'm sworn to secrecy. I will say this, though. Malfoy has a heart, whether we want to believe it or not... And somethimes I see the way he looks at you. He doesn't hate you, not really..."

Hermione shook her head, "How can you be so sure"

"I can't say"

"But"

Ginny shook her head this time. "No. I _cannot _tell you. I'm _sorry_. Besides, it's not really a big deal that you like Malfoy. He's _hot_. Every female alive knows that; I think even a blind woman could tell he's attractive."

"But he's so mean sometimes."

"Why aren't you asking yourself these questions Hermione."

"I already have."

"Then you already know the answer," she said it so finally that it cut off the conversation, "I have to go put on some real clothes because I have to go see Hannah Abbot about something she wants to show me. Later, 'Mione."

"Yeah, bye," Hermione murmured, staring out the window.

She knew the choice she had to make. But why did she have this nagging feeling that something was wrong?

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**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:**

Dont you just hate it when you dont know what is exactly on the list? :)

So what do you think that nagging feeling is? What makes her think something might be wrong?

Does Hermione already know the answer to her problems? Will she make the right choice?

And what was Ginny sworn to not tell?

Find out... on the next episode of H&D.

Come on you wanna laugh at me.

REVIEW PLEASE! Just FYI: I have the anonymous option open if you aren't a member of the site.

Or if you just don't want me to know.

REVIEW! I'm begging you.

--- Ashley


	11. Chapter 10: Realizations

**Draco and Hermione: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. If you haven't figured out by now that I don't own Harry Potter then you're more mental than Ron is when he's angry. JK obviously owns all things Potter.**

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**READER! FYI: **

I'd like to apologize for a past error of mine. One of my friends pointed out to me that Crabbe had died in the seventh book. And as I had not intentionally wanted to reserect him, I won't mention him again.

Just pretend every time I mentioned Crabbe in the past it was Blaise...

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**Chapter Ten: Realizations**

"Hey, Draco, aren't you coming?" Goyle asked, grabbing his bag.

Blaise was already on his way out with a few other Slytherins.

"Yeah," he caught a glimpse of Potter's head behind the group, "I'll be right there. You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up."

Draco took an extra long time to gather up his stuff after Advanced Potions class. He didn't want to run into Hermione or her friends on his way out. He'd been avoiding her a lot lately. But he'd started to insult the Weasel and Potter again.

He now realized that it was stupid for him not to. It was unlike him to avoid them and he didn't want them to catch on to anything he wasn't ready for them to know. For anybody to know...

He was still trying to come to terms with what he felt himself. He didn't need anyone intruding on his private thoughts, or his private feelings, because when somebody did they usually messed everything up for him. It wasn't smart to go to anyone for advice in his love life. He could handle it on his own. He was done with doing what other people told him to do and really fed up with other people's advice.

Sometimes it was best to go your own way because you're the only one who knows your own self enough to make the right choices. Argh, now he was starting to sound all cryptic like Dumbledore...

He closed his eyes at the thought. It was partially his fault Dumbledore was 'd never forgive himself for that...

He glanced up and silently cursed himself. He would be walking out behind Granger after all because Snape had detained her. Sometimes he wished Potter hadn't saved Snape's life because it was hard to be around him now. They both knew now that neither of them had actually liked serving the Dark Lord and it was uncomfortable, to say the least. At times talking to him was awkward.

He sighed and lifted his bag, shuffling out behind her, careful not to make much noise.

It was when she shoved a book into her bag as she went up the steps that he saw a paper fall from her stuffed bag.

He bent over to pick it up and when he would have called out, he slammed his mouth shut. His name was written on the top of the paper in bold print along with the Weasel's.

What the hell? he thought to himself. What was this? He skimmed quickly to the bottom. Then he nearly died inside.

He felt his heart shudder... She'd chosen the Weasel over him, according to a bloody list.

It read, in Hermione's tidy little scrawl:

**---------------- The Pro's and Con's of Draco and Ron ****---------------**

**The Pros Side:**

**Ron** ---------------------------------------------------------- **Draco **

Makes me laugh (5) -------------------------------------- Makes me think (5)

A good guy (5) -------------------------------------------- Makes me laugh (5)

He likes me (4) -------------------------------------------- Smart/Clever (5)

He does the right thing, eventually (3) --------------- Makes my heart skip a beat (5)

My friend (5) ----------------------------------------------- Makes my stomach tie up in knots (5)

Understands me sometimes (3) ----------------------- His eyes (5)

Never cruel (5) -------------------------------------------- His body (5)

Doesn't call me names (5) ------------------------------ Hard worker (5)

Encourages me (5) --------------------------------------- He's different (5)

Helps me (5) ----------------------------------------------- He's got a good heart, underneath (5)

Tells me when he thinks I'm wrong (4) ---------------- **Draco Total: 55 **

Admires me (5)

Rarely keeps things from me (5)

Got put into the same House (3)

Can make me feel better (5)

Mostly honest (3)

Kind, mostly (3)

Normal (5)

**Ron Total: 78**

Draco's heart pounded into his throat. Did she really think those things? A lot of the things she'd written made his heart throb with a kind of wonder. She had a crush on him, that much was obvious. And now he didn't hurt as much inside, because he realized that he was no longer the only one with the feelings. He glanced back down at the paper in his hand:

**The Cons Side:**

**Ron** ---------------------------------------------------------- **Draco**

Not smart (-3) --------------------------------------------- Dark Arts (-5)

His hair (-4) ------------------------------------------------ His Family (-4)

His attitude (-3) ------------------------------------------- He doesn't like me (-5)

A bit selfish sometimes (-2) ----------------------------- He has done bad things (-5)

Takes advantage of others sometimes (-3) --------- He's mean things to people(-5)

Rarely takes action (-4) ---------------------------------- Very selfish (-4)

My cat doesn't like him (-2) ----------------------------- Takes advantage of others (-4)

Irksome, sometimes annoying (-5) -------------------- His attitude (-2)

**Ron Total: -26 **-------------------------------------------- Not true to himself (-5)

---------------------------------------------------------------- He can be cruel (-5)

---------------------------------------------------------------- Vain (-2)

---------------------------------------------------------------- His bad friends (-5)

---------------------------------------------------------------- Never looks past the surface (-5)

---------------------------------------------------------------- He keeps many secrets (-4)

---------------------------------------------------------------- Slytherin (-3)

---------------------------------------------------------------- His girlfriend (-5)

---------------------------------------------------------------- Rich (-5)

---------------------------------------------------------------- Shallow (-5)

---------------------------------------------------------------- Voldemort (-10)

----------------------------------------------------------------** Draco Total: -88**

**Grand Total:  
Ron: 52 ------------------ Draco: -33**

He frowned. Emotions overcame him, feeling that he didn't know he could ever feel before. Shock, hurt, anger, and a feeling of... loss.

He'd just lost one of the most important people in his life and he hadn't even known he'd had her in the first place. He was really starting to hate this list. The damn thing was ruining his life.

It was then he realized for the first time that he didn't just like Hermione Granger... he was was beginning to believe that he was on the border of being in love with Hermione Granger.

And she was going to pick Weasley...

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**NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:**

I hope you like the list. I've spent a lot of time perfecting it... Let me know what you think about it.

So Draco's finally come to realize that his feeling are deeper than he'd ever imagined they might be.

I wonder what he's gonna do?

Check out the next chapter.

REVIEW! REVIEW!

Click the pretty button below. It's the key to unlocking more chapters.

You just have to review!

--- Ashley Dane


	12. Chapter 11: Deep Thought

**Hermione and Draco: The Story That Changes Everything**

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**P.S. JK owns.**

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**P.S.S. I know that this chapter is really short but it's very important...**

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**Chapter Eleven: Deep Thought**

Draco sat on the floor once again in his room, sitting cross-legged. He was thinking.

He had a lot to think about. He glanced back down at the list as he had a hundred times earlier.

That couldn't be right could it? Was he really shallow? Maybe he was occasionally... but who isn't now and then?

His hands tightened into fist as anger overcame him once again. He refused to lose her. He would not accept that kind of loss; he would not accept the loss of her.

First, he had to get Hermione to stay away from Weasley and then he'd have to convince her that he wasn't as bad as her damn list indicated he was.

His nostrils flared as he held down his anger and resentment. After that, he'd have to get her to realize and understand that he liked her. He really liked her.

Maybe it would take him all day, a week, months. But he would get her in the end. He simply denied thinking that she might not be his sooner or later. A Malfoy always won. It was just a matter of time...

But he wasn't ready to tell her he was almost in love with her... there would come a time when that became eminent, soon enough.

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**NOTE FORM THE AUTHOR:**  
Figure it out for yourself.  
I'm kidding. He's pretty possesive as you may have noticed.  
Right now he's angry and frustrated because he might lose her. You may not be able to tell in this chapter, but it's more of a deeply loving possession, the need for her to be with him and happy.  
I think that that's one of the best kinds of love, when the person loves and needs you so much that not being able to be with you or not being able to love you freely would slowly kill them from the inside. I'm a romantic at heart.  
Please review )  
--- Ash.


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